Young trees offer you an opportunity to be creative and explore a range of methods to create really interesting bonsai trees. In this video, Eric offers 5 ideas that will help improve young trees.
00:00:22 Idea #1 WIRING - Eric begins with a Yaupon Holly, a tree native to the Southeastern United States. If you're not familiar, these trees have shiny leaves and produce tiny white flowers in the late spring (May in San Francisco). Eric uses aluminum wire to give the tree more shape and interesting movement.
00:01:26 How to add more movement to each branch after wiring.
00:02:14 More wiring examples with Holly Oak and a Cork Oak. How to wire a 3-dimensional "S" shape and why!
00:04:02 Idea #2 SELECTIVE PRUNING - Eric uses another Yaupon Holly and explains that pruning helps to slow down the growth you don't want to take off too quickly. Timing differs by species.
00:05:28 Idea #3 ROOT WORK - necessary for creating good bonsai! Eric shares why to check out the nebari (visible or surface roots) and how to ensure balanced root development.
00:07:10 Idea #4 PLANTING IN PAIRS - this practice can create really interesting compositions. Eric demonstrates with Japanese Black Pine. You can plant in pairs, triplets, and clumps.
00:08:24 After wiring the trunks, Eric explains his process to make the composition more interesting.
00:09:06 Idea #5 REPEATED PINCHING - Eric references pinching and cutback work he did on Elms a few weeks ago in early Spring ( • Bonsaify | Spring Bons... ). A few weeks later they can still benefit from another round of cutting/pinching. This adds more character and increases the number of twigs.
00:10:25 BONUS IDEA - if you want your trunk to bulk up, sometimes you just have to wait.
What ideas do you have for improving young bonsai trees? Share them in the comments below. Please like and share this video with friends, and as always, we'd value you subscribing to our channel!